Council of State rules the Presidential Palace is an 'illegal structure': 'Those who violated Ataturk's legacy will surely be held accountable one day'

The Presidential Palace, built on the land of the Atatürk Forest Farm (AOÇ), has been classified as an "illegal structure" by the Council of State. The palace, which began construction in 2012 and opened in 2014, was built on a protected site following a principle decision made by the High Council for the Protection of Cultural and Natural Assets, which is affiliated with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The Council had granted permission for "mandatory infrastructure applications and official institutional structures to be built within the scope of these applications."

Former CHP Ankara deputy Levent Gök took this decision to the Council of State, and the 4th Chamber initially found the decision appropriate. However, Gök appealed the decision to the Council of State's Board of Administrative Litigation Chambers. The 13-member board overturned the decision with a 9-to-4 vote, ruling that the palace is illegal. This decision is final.

Evaluating the decision, CHP's Levent Gök stated that the High Council for the Protection of Cultural and Natural Assets had changed the term "public institution" to "official institution." Gök emphasized that the concept of "mandatory infrastructure" covers investments such as electricity, water, and natural gas, but that the palace does not fall within this scope.

Speaking to Sözcü, Gök's statements are as follows:

“The High Council for the Protection of Cultural and Natural Assets had changed the word it previously referred to as ‘public institution’ to ‘official institution.’ They had also made a decision allowing for ‘mandatory infrastructure applications and official institutional structures to be built within the scope of these applications’ within the same principle decision. However, ‘mandatory infrastructure’ refers to investments like electricity, water, and natural gas. Since it did not fall under the concept of an ‘official institution,’ we filed a lawsuit in the Council of State again. The Council of State has registered that the Presidential Palace is illegal.”

"THOSE WHO VIOLATED ATATURK'S LEGACY WILL SURELY BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE ONE DAY"

The decision of the board, which is the highest body of the Council of State, means the following: The palace built on the Atatürk Forest Farm land is a structure built without any legal basis. The Council of State's Board of Administrative Litigation Chambers has ruled that it was built illegally. The Council of State has registered that the Presidential Palace is illegal. The decision made by the board is final. Those responsible for the illegal palace built on the AOÇ land, which is Atatürk's legacy, will be held accountable.”

News Source: 12punto